Mister Mystery
by Tell-Me-Tales
Summary: It may be taking a bit longer for Stan's memories to return to him than he is leading those around him to believe. Unfortunately for Stanley, it seems that poking his nose into his brother's business is something that Stanford happens to remember very well about being siblings. [Post Finale][AO3 CrossPost]
1. Prologue

**Gravity Falls, OR**  
 **August 25, 2012**

His first memory is of the forest, a pair of upset children, and an old man that holds him and cries over someone he thinks he might have been before... Just 'Before.' He's not sure what happened exactly, but it probably wasn't anything good. He doesn't think he wants to remember whatever lead up to him forgetting, though, because it seems whatever it was managed to disturb everyone around him on some level.

Actually, he thinks he might be content to just not remember anything of Before. Because even if his head is empty of all the things he should know, of his past, his _life_ , he feels safe and cared for. So, whether or not he ever remembers, he figures he'll be alright. It's not like he can't make _new_ memories, right? (For a half-second he panics over the thought that maybe he _can't_ , that maybe this isn't the first time he's forgotten everything. Maybe he forgets over and over and over again. He discards the thought upon realizing that everyone else's distress over his missing memories makes that theory unlikely.)

So, yeah, he thinks he'd be just fine with never remembering a thing of Before. Except those two kids are desperate for him to remember them, and the old man seems pretty broken up over it, and even the strange hairless gopher guy that shows up looks like he's about to burst into tears. Whoever he was, had been, he'd sure inspired a lot of loyalty in this ragtag group, and, frankly, he's starting to feel a little guilty over the whole not remembering them thing.

When the pig (and, really, of all things, the pig?) manages to annoy him enough to actually stir up something that might be his memories, and he sees the sudden hope painting all of their faces... Well, he decides he could at least _try_ to be the person they want him to be. It's better for everyone that way, isn't it?

* * *

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 **Read the entire Dimension 297 series on AO3:** **archiveofourown dot org slash series slash 457846**


	2. The Twin Brother

Ford waits until the kids have gone to bed and Soos has left before confronting his brother. He can't help staring for a moment at the man still studying Mabel's scrapbook. His stomach does funny things as he contemplates how the upcoming conversation may go. Half of him hopes, and half of him dreads, and all of him is nothing but uncertain. He'll be getting answers one way or another, though.

The man doesn't even look up from pages covered in pictures, stickers, and glitter when he asks, "You got somethin' to say, Ford?" Casual as you please. Familiar, even. Stanford sees right through the act.

He sighs and scrubs his face, pushing his glasses up before removing his hands and allowing them to fall back into position. "Alright," Ford says, sitting down on the floor in front of Stan's recliner and looking up at his brother, "how much do you actually remember?"

His eyes flicker away from the scrapbook to glance at Ford before resettling firmly on the pages. "I told you, almost everything, I think. This summer's been a wild ride, hasn't it?"

"Right," Stanford says flatly, "That you actually expect me to believe that is borderline insulting. If I believed for a second that you remember even half of what you claim, I would, in fact, _be_ insulted." He receives another glance, this one just a hair more guilty than the one before it.

"H-hey!" his brother objects as he plucks the scrapbook from the other man's lap, closes it, and places the book on the floor behind himself, "What ya do that for?"

Satisfied that he has his twin's attention, Stanford ignores the inquiry in favor of seeking out the answers to his own questions. "Stanley Jacob Pines," he begins, pretending not to notice as his brother mouths his own middle name in question, "has been a born liar since we first learned how to talk. Do you really think I don't know how to tell when you're lying? I'm not asking you to recite what you've been told or been able to piece together. I need to know what you actually remember."

His eyes dart around the room and his hands clench into nervous fists. "I, um, uh..."

Stanford suppresses another sigh and instead reaches out to take hold of his brother's right hand, slowly, gently prying the fingers open. "Don't worry about what you think I want you to say," he encourages, deftly intertwining his six fingers through his brother's five, "I just need you to be honest with me." A smile (one that is perhaps a little sad around the edges, but a genuine smile nonetheless) takes over his face when his brother hesitantly offers his remaining hand as well.

All twenty-two fingers between them are now laced together like when they were children and Ford's insecurities had flared up. A part of him wonders if Stan had taken comfort in reassuring him when they had been young, much the same as Ford finds it comforting to offer his twin reassurance now. He wonders if he'll ever have the chance to ask. Stanford sets their joined hands on his brother's knees and does his best to be patient while he waits.

"Not... much," his brother admits eventually. He shifts nervously before continuing, "I'm not sure they really count as _memories_ , just... impressions, I guess? Nothing's clear; it's all blurred together. And there's things I just kinda know - or... maybe I just _think_ I know? - but I don't remember _how_ I know. I didn't even really remember that dumb pig's name. It just kinda slipped out." A pause, and then, "Did I really punch out a pterodactyl?"

"Well, I wasn't there to witness it myself," Ford admits, "but Dipper and Mabel were both in agreement on that part of the story. I'm inclined to believe it actually happened."

It's a start. Maybe they'll be able to recover Stan's memories, and maybe they won't. Perhaps, even if they do have some success, they'll never manage to fill in all of the missing pieces. But this is already more than Ford had dared to ask for when he pulled that trigger. Whatever turns out to be the case with Stan's memory, Ford is hopeful that they'll be able to make it work.

* * *

 **Read chapters sooner on Archive of Our Own:** **archiveofourown dot org slash works slash 8053783**

 **Read the entire Dimension 297 series on AO3:** **archiveofourown dot org slash series slash 457846**


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